Decorated Decanter

Earlier this month I was gifted with a fabulous California wine. And as spectacular as that wine was, its bottle was just as special in its own way. Pretty and functional with a great corked top, this upcycled piece became the perfect vessel to hold my favorite vinegrette.

With a stencil and some glass paint, I embellished this bottle using an enamel paint technique. Enamel painting goes back to Victorian times. They loved to decorate glass in this manner, but it was a timely and labored process. Today, however, the process couldn’t be any easier.

Here’s the list of supplies:

• Martha Stewart Glass Paint
• Martha Stewart Adhesive Stencil
• Alcohol
• Glass Decanter of choice

Before beginning, wash your bottle well + remove the label. Once dry, wipe down with alcohol to remove any oily residue. Next, apply your adhesive stencil to the bottle. You may want to consider applying your stencil as I did onto two sides rather than a one-sided flat design.

I really like these adhesive stencils for this project. They’re perfect for curved surfaces and can be repositioned as often as needed. They also do a fantastic job adhering snugly to the piece so your work comes out clean.

The usual stenciling technique would have you would roll or pounce your colors onto your work. However, in order to recreate the enamel technique, you’ll want the paint to be more dimensional. The applicator tip on the Martha Stewart glass paint allows the paint to be applied in a thick layer which mimicks the look of enamel by filling in the stencil with a thick application of paint.

Once done, carefully pull off the stencil and let the piece air dry for one hour.

At this point you can continue to let your piece air dry for 21 days or you can bake it, which is what I chose to do with mine. If you choose to do so as well, place your finished piece into a cold oven and turn the heat to 350 degrees. Allow it to warm up and bake for one hour. At that time, turn off the oven and let the piece cool down to room temp. I left mine in the oven overnight, and in the morning I had a beautiful decanter that was ready to use.

I love having a beautiful bottle to hold my favorite vinegrette. And it was so easy to create – this enamelled bottle took less than 30 minutes to prep + paint. I’m thinking there may be decorated decanters for everyone this holiday season!